The Short-Term Effects of Different Doses of Dexamethasone on the Numbers of some Bacteria in the Ileum
Abstract
Glucocorticoids are known to affect intestinal biota both directly or indirectly. The aim of the study reported here was to determine the short-term effects of different doses of dexamethasone on the numbers of various ileal bacteria populations. Rats were randomly put into groups, and each group was administered a single-dose injection of dexamethasone at either 0.1, 0.5, 1, 2.5, 5, or 10 mg/kg body weight. At 48-h post-injection, the numbers of total aerobe, anaerobe, lactobacilli and coliform bacteria in the ileum were determined. The numbers of total aerobes and lactobacilli were higher in the groups receiving 5 and 10 mg/kg dexamethasone than in the control and other dose groups (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively). The number of ileal anaerobic bacteria was higher in group receiving 5 mg/kg than in the other groups (P < 0.01). There were more coliform bacteria in the group receiving 0.1 mg/kg than in the groups receiving 0.5, 1 and 10 mg/kg (P < 0.05). In light of these results, the effects of dose-dependent increases in the number of different bacterial groups affecting gut functions have still to be determined in future studies.
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Previous studies have not identified specific gut microbes affected by GC exposure nor addressed the functional repercussions of GCs and altered gut microbiota.
“However, these studies have not identified specific gut microbes affected by GC exposure nor addressed the functional repercussions of GCs and altered gut microbiota.”
From Using Corticosteroids to Reshape the Gut Microbiome: Implications for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (2015) · cites this paper as [34]
Rodents treated with a single high-dose injection of DEX increased the number of ileal anaerobic bacteria while low-dose GC produced an increase in coliform bacteria.
“A study by Ünsal and colleagues showed that rodents treated with a single high-dose injection of DEX increased the number of ileal anaerobic bacteria while low-dose GC produced an increase in coliform bacteria,34 demonstrating a significant, acute effect of GC exposure on gut microbes.”
From Using Corticosteroids to Reshape the Gut Microbiome: Implications for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (2015) · cites this paper as [34]
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- Authors
- Ünsal, H., Balkaya, M., Ünsal, C., Bıyık, H., Başbülbül, G., & Poyrazoğlu, E.
- Affiliations
- Adnan Menderes University (TR)
- Corresponding author
- Ünsal, Hümeyra
- Venue
- Digestive Diseases and Sciences
- Published
- 2007-11-30
- Volume
- 53
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 1842-1845
- ISSN
- 0163-2116 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-2568
- OpenAlex
- W2018843254
- Cited by
- 31
- References
- 39
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 4 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 0.26
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Digestive Diseases and Sciences (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Gastroenterology › Gastrointestinal motility and disorders
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Probiotics and Fermented Foods
- Keywords
- dexamethasone, glucocorticoids, ileum, intestinal bacteria, dose-dependent effects, lactobacilli, coliform bacteria, anaerobic bacteria, aerobes, gut microbiota, rats
- MeSH terms
- Analysis of Variance, Animals, Bacteria, Dexamethasone, Ileum, Male, Random Allocation, Colony Count, Microbial, Rats, Wistar, Rats
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